Nemesia plant named ‘Sunjonbuho’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘Sunjonbuho’, characterized by its upright and mounded growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; purple, purple violet and violet-colored fragrant flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Nemesia denticulata×Nemesia caerulea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNJONBUHO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesiaplant, botanically known as Nemesia denticulata×Nemesia caerulea andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunjonbuho’.

The new Nemesia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in St. Brides Netherwent, Monmouthshire,Wales. The objective of the breeding program is to create new moundingand freely-branching Nemesia plants with unique and attractive flowercoloration.

The new Nemesia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in June, 2007 in St. Brides Netherwent, Monmouthshire, Wales ofa proprietary selection of Nemesia denticulata×Nemesia caeruleaidentified as code number 7NEY1, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with a proprietary selection of Nemesia denticulata×Nemesiacaerulea identified as code number 7NEKF, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Nemesia plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in St. BridesNetherwent, Monmouthshire, Wales in April, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia plant by vegetative cuttings ina controlled environment in St. Brides Netherwent, Monmouthshire, Walessince May, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Nemesiaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nemesia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunjonbuho’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunjonbuho’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofNemesia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Purple, purple violet and violet-colored fragrant flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Nemesia differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parentselection have light blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the male parenselection. Plants of the new Nemesia differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parentselection have purple and white bi-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia can also be compared to plants of ‘Aqua Blue’,not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Nemesia differed from plantsof ‘Aqua Blue’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were smaller than plants of ‘Aqua        Blue’.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia had larger flowers than plants of        ‘Aqua Blue’.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Nemesia were more fragrant than        flowers of plants of ‘Aqua Blue’.    -   4. Plants of the new Nemesia and ‘Aqua Blue’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘Aqua Blue’ had light blue-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Nemesia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Nemesia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunjonbuho’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Sunjonbuho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter in 15-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and undercommercial practice. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 15° C. and night temperatures averaged 5° C.Plants were four months old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia denticulata×Nemesia caerulea    ‘Sunjonbuho’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Nemesia            denticulata×Nemesia caerulea identified as code number            7NEY1, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Nemesia            denticulata×Nemesia caerulea identified as code number            7NEKF, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures of            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 20 days at            temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and mounded growth habit;            freely branching with two lateral branches potentially            forming at every node; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 19.8 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 25.6 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 18.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.7 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Aspect.—Mostly upright.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse to rounded.        -   Margin.—Shallowly serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 144A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,            close to 144B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.6 mm. Diameter: About 0.6 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Bilabiate solitary flowers            arranged on terminal racemes; flowering acropetally towards            the apex; flowers facing mostly outwardly; freely flowering            habit with about eleven flowers per raceme and about 47            racemes developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; pleasant. Natural flowering season: In            Japan, plants flower naturally from early spring to early            summer; flowering continuous during this period; early            flowering habit, flowers begin flowering about three months            after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Flower size (diameter by length).—About 2.3 cm by 2.1 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 11.1 mm.            Diameter: About 6.5 mm Color: Close to 77C.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five modified petals; four upper petals            fused forming an upright lobed and arched banner lip; lower            petal modified into a larger lip with convex oval            protuberance serving as a nectar guide and insect landing            platform. Shape, upper lip: Elliptic. Shape, lower lip:            Reniform. Apex, upper lip: Rounded. Apex, lower lip:            Cordate. Margin, upper lip: Entire; undulate. Margin, lower            lip: Entire; undulate. Length, upper lip: About 12.1 mm.            Length, lower lip: About 10.5 mm. Width, upper lip: About 7            mm to 9 mm. Width, lower lip: About 17.6 mm. Texture, upper            and lower lips, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper lip: When opening, upper surface: Close to 70B;            towards the throat, fine lines, close to N88A. When opening,            lower surface: Close to 77D. Fully opened, upper surface:            Close to N77B and N82C; towards the throat, close to N87B            and N88B with fine lines, close to N88A. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to N82D. Color, lower lip: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 76B overlain with streaks, close to            75A; nectar guide, close to 5B. When opening, lower surface:            Close to N82C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N77B            and N82C; towards the margins, close to 84B to 84D; nectar            guide, close to 5D; with development, color becoming closer            to 155B and towards the margins, close to 84D. Fully opened,            lower surface: Close to N82D.        -   Spur.—Length: About 7.8 mm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm. Color:            Close to 145C.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with five sepals            fused at the base. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Length: About 4.2 mm. Width: About 1.7 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 143B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 12.2 mm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per            flower. Stamen length: About 1 mm to 3 mm. Anther shape:            Narrowly elliptic. Anther size: About 1 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther            color: Close to 9B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 9A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 2.3 mm. Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color:            Close to 160C. Ovary color: Close to 144C. Seed/fruit: Seed            and fruit development have not been observed on plants of            the new Nemesia.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Nemesia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from 5° C. to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Nemesia plant named ‘Sunjonbuho’ as illustratedand described.